49ers Player Dies After Pre-Season Game

Niners lineman collapses, dies after preseason game

DENVER (AP) ? An offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers collapsed in the locker room and died Sunday morning, shortly after the team played the Denver Broncos in a preseason game.
Players had finished listening to coach Mike Nolan address them in a post-game meeting when Thomas Herrion, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound first-year player, collapsed. Medics administered CPR on him and took him to an ambulance that rushed him to a nearby hospital.

About three hours later, 49ers spokesman Aaron Salkin confirmed that Herrion had died. The cause of death was not immediately known.

"This is a colossal tragedy for the 49ers and the entire NFL community," Salkin said. "We still do not know all the details. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Herrion family."

The death comes a little more than four years after offensive lineman Korey Stringer of the Minnesota Vikings died of heatstroke during a training camp practice on a day during which the heat index soared to 110.

Since Stringer's death, NFL teams have increased their efforts to teach players about hydration and how to manage the heat, experimenting with sensors to measure players' core body temperatures.

On Saturday night in Denver, temperatures were in the mid-60s with 50% humidity, although experts say heatstroke can occur even in cool conditions.

After the game, Nolan said he had no comments about San Francisco's 26-21 loss to the Broncos.

"There are more important things on our mind than the game," he said. "Right now, our thoughts and prayers are with Thomas Herrion."

Stringer's death was thought to be the first of its kind in the NFL. In 1979, St. Louis Cardinals tight end J.V. Cain died of a heart attack during training camp. Chuck Hughes, a wide receiver for the Detroit Lions, died of a heart attack Oct. 24, 1972, during a game in Detroit against the Chicago Bears.

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The General

Another Day, Another Dollar
ESPN showed him walking off the field after the game and he looked fine. Very sad. It was noted in the past that your chance of a heart attack is stronger during the minutes after a workout instead of during the workout. Speculation on my part. Geessshhh, why did this kid deserve to die before me?
 
Very sad.

They're saying the altitude in Denver may have played a part in it.

Too young to meet such a fate
 

Stickie

EOG Senior Member
Its just amazing that these kids in incredible shape passing away in their prime.

Thoughts and prayers are with his family.
 
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